Earthquakes medium

M 4.1 Earthquake 20 km WSW of Gerlach, Nevada

Source: USGS · Nevada

A magnitude 4.1 earthquake was recorded by USGS near 20 km WSW of Gerlach. On the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program scale, M4.1 is classified "Light". Among the 1,740 earthquake reports Areazine has published, this M4.1 event ranks stronger than 48% of them (rank #889 by magnitude).

30 seconds on this earthquake report

Magnitude
M 4.1
USGS class
Light
Location
20 km WSW of Gerlach
Archive rank
#889 of 1,740
Source
USGS
Published
September 16, 2026
LIGHT

Stronger than 48% of the 1,740 earthquake reports in Areazine's archive, weaker than 888 others.

Record status: a snapshot from USGS, not a final record. Check USGS's own event page for aftershocks and any later revision to the magnitude shown here.

What Happened

A magnitude 4.1 ml earthquake struck 20 km WSW of Gerlach, Nevada, at 12:37 UTC on August 16, 2026 (Unix time 1789543045899). The event had a depth of 6.9 km and was reviewed by the USGS.

Location Details

The epicenter was located at coordinates 40.6069°N, 119.5899°W, approximately 20 km west-southwest of Gerlach, Nevada. The shallow depth of 6.9 km falls into the shallow category (less than 20 km).

Impact Assessment

The earthquake was felt by 2 people, with a maximum reported intensity (CDI) of 1 and instrumental intensity (MMI) of 4.5. The alert level was green, and no tsunami was generated (tsunami advisory status: 0).

What You Should Know

Earthquakes of this magnitude (M 4.0-4.9) are classified as light and are often noticeable but rarely cause significant damage. Residents in the area should be prepared for possible aftershocks.

Source

Data from USGS: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/nn00924508

Original source: USGS Official Notice ↗

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Comparable nationwide notices (length or severity timing) 8

Two cross-category peer sets, both computed from Areazine's own archive: notices with a similar body length, and notices near the same severity and agency date. These are drawn from other categories, not the same-feed Related list above.

Similar body length

Nearest notices by article body length (962 characters here).

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Similar severity timing

Same severity (medium) notices issued closest in time to September 16, 2026.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What people usually ask about a notice like this one.

What was the magnitude of this event? ▾
A magnitude 4.1 earthquake occurred 20 km WSW of Gerlach, Nevada, on August 16, 2026.
What does a magnitude 4.1 ("Light") earthquake mean? ▾
The USGS classifies M4.1 as "Light" on its Earthquake Hazards Program scale. Events in this range are often felt near the epicenter and can cause minor damage to vulnerable structures, though widespread damage is uncommon.
Where does this event rank against Areazine's other recorded earthquakes? ▾
This is the #889 strongest of the 1,740 earthquake reports in Areazine's archive by magnitude, stronger than 48% of them and weaker than 888 others.
Was Gerlach likely to feel this earthquake? ▾
This event was centered 20 km WSW of Gerlach. Shaking intensity falls off sharply with distance from the epicenter and depends on depth and local geology, so check the USGS "Did You Feel It?" report for this event for real felt-shaking data rather than assuming from magnitude and distance alone.

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